–Throw today’s employment release in the blender with all of the other data released in recent weeks, and you’ve got economic soup. “Mixed” is about the most generous way we can describe current conditions, and October’s payroll growth of 80,000 jobs fits perfectly into this not-so-tasty broth. Once again, the pace of employment expansion isn’t nearly enough to meaningfully reduce the labor market overhang, but it is enough to hold the line for yet another month. –Guy LeBas, Janney Montgomery Scott

–There is not enough demand to support more than the modest job growth seen in September and October. And therefore, look for more of the same late this year and into the winter. While it may be enough to barely escape recession, the gain in jobs and incomes is not enough to offset consumer pessimism. The economy is simply not strong enough to deliver more than 125,000 jobs a month and continues to struggle to deliver even that much. There is no help on the way from monetary or fiscal policy, at the federal, state, or local level. It all adds up to a labor market struggle, continuing right through the upcoming holiday season and into winter. –Kathy Bostjancic, The Conference Board